Private An Uncommon Call

[Zesiro]

It really had not taken Zesiro very long to get into the swing of things on Commenor and working there. However, her boss had been drawn away from the planet for who knows what reason, and she was left holding the bag. Not ruling the planet by any means even if she could easily fill that role as well. Normally she was able to take care of business here without needing to call on any aid from anybody. This situation was different.

Taking care of the easy work, it almost seemed like it never ended. Picking up the request that had the former queen stumped, she decided to make a call she had hoped would never come. Even though Darlyn ruled Commenor, they were still under the influence of the Silver Jedi. Since this was the case, they could both say they belonged to them...however, neither one of them was exactly Jedi material.

Getting off the holocall she had just made, Zesiro let out a small sigh of relief. She had been assured a diplomat would be sent to meet with her and then hopefully take on the envoy that hadn't accepted, "not at this time", as an option.

Thankfully, she had been able to delay their arrival for a little longer and she now waited for the diplomat from the Silver's to arrive. Making sure the guard on duty knew to bring whoever came to answer to request was brought to her office, she prepared that.

As she thought about it, this would be her first real encounter with a Jedi for many years. The last one had gone rather poorly and the end result was her getting her mind invaded by some sort of gross entity. A rescue had happened and that changed her whole life. Giving her a new purpose, she eventually found she did well as a protector and ended up on Commenor after living on Kesh for long enough to get married and start a family. At the thought of her missing husband, tears almost welled up but she forced these thoughts and feelings aside. They had no place at this meeting.

Putting the finishing touches on her office and making sure it was neat, she wore a blue outfit that might look like a uniform of sorts. It fit her well and her lightsaber was clipped to the belt. Knowing her Jedi guest was going to arrive soon, she took a seat at her desk and waited.

Edep Kre

 

[Edep Kre]

It had been several months since the Bothan had any sort of assignment that took him from Kashyyyk and his studies there. It was a welcome surprise to be sure, even with as studious as he was he could only look at historical records and tapes for so long before he'd grow bored. It had also been a long while since he had last visited the Commenor system, if he remembered correctly the last time he passed through was just after his former master Halt's death so it had been at least a year. And even then he'd never been called to meet with the ruling seat of the planet, he wasn't now even... but a chance to do some diplomatic work was always a plus in his mind.

He wished he could spend more time at the capital more, being the diplomat and fan of the courts he was. But being a Jedi meant he was usually kept busy on Kashyyyk. So when he received his order he packed up and left as soon as he could.

His shuttle would eventually land on Commenor and he was quickly ushered up and toward the Queen's office. Straightening his robes as he made his way along the corridors. As per usual the Bothan Jedi wore his non-traditional robes, looking much more like a statesman than a Jedi, save for the calling cards of one being the lightsaber on his belt and hood that looked to belong on a cloak than a diplomat's robes. After a short conversation with the guards outside the office, it appeared even with Zeserio's orders they failed to piece together that he was the Jedi being sent, he was let into the office.

He would glance around the room a couple of moments before focusing on the women before him. Edep would gently dip his head in the form of a bow before stating up straight. "Jedi Knight Edep Kre, at your service..." he would say with a happy smile which fell into a confused look. He would begin the short walk from the doorway of the office over to her desk. "To be quite frank, I seem to have forgotten how you prefer to be addressed... Is it High Lady? Or simply Your Majesty?" He would ask candidly before coming to a stop just before her desk front.

Zesiro

 

[Zesiro]

It would have been difficult for Zesiro to not hear the conversation happening outside of her office. Just as she was about to go out and retrieve the Jedi guest she was expecting, the guards let him in. If she had been taking a drink, she probably would have spit it out as she got a good look at the man in front of her. Instead, she started coughing to try and hide her sudden discomfort.

Of course, there was really no way for the Jedi to entirely know of her past actions nor what she helped accomplish on Bothawui those many years ago. Then again, she rarely thought about that time in her life. In the days before she had been married...back when she was freer in spirit and body. The days she had retired from and went into hiding.

"You're Bothan!"

Trying to resist the urge to lower her hand to her hilt, she clenched and unclenched it a few times. Clearing her throat and rubbing her palms against her hips a few times, she seemed to have regained some of the control she needed for this meeting.

Barely hearing his personal introduction and questions, it took Zesiro another few moments to be able to sort through everything going on in her mind. Speaking in a rather stiff voice, it wasn't unfriendly but certainly not all like she normally sounded.

"Just Zesiro, please. Knight Kre. Please have a seat...you're not here to question me, are you? I mean about what happened soo many years ago on Bothawui."

Probably opening a whole can of worms he wasn't even aware of, she asked her question anyway.

Edep Kre

 

[Edep Kre]

Edep, now simply standing at the other end of her desk would shoot an eyebrow up at the sudden vocalizafion of his species, and the obvious surprise him being a Bothan was to the Queen. “I am indeed, I was a afraid I didn’t look the part with the fur,“ he would say with a confused yet sarcastic tone.

He would lean against the chair that occupied the space across from her, overwhelmingly curious by the sudden shock and surprise him being who he was. It wasn’t like Bothans were that much of a rarity, granted Jedi Bothans were not a plentiful. Maybe that was what all the fuss was about.

When Zesiro brought up Bothawui he thought for a moment. Having been brought up as a Jedi from infancy made him quite unaware of the day to day workings of the planet and his people, to be quite honest he was probably more human in spirit than Bothan, something that quite bothered him.

Not able to accurately place what the women was referring to he would scratch at the back of his neck, “I’m afraid you’re going to have to be a bit more specific. A great deal has happened on my home world over the years.” He would ask, while ah the same time trying to put her face to some sort of action that had happened over the years…

He would study her for a few moments, “Is it something I as a Bithwnshould be concerned about?” He’d ask with a gentle hum.

This, altercation, was not something he expected today, in the slightest… he was just expecting some brief introductions, an overview of what exactly he was here to help with, do the job, then go home. What was the women hiding?

Zesiro

 

[Zesiro]

When Edep answered her, it wasn't quite like she expected. Of course, he was Bothan, it was just an expected situation this put her in. Once again, she had stuck her foot in her mouth and there was no taking back what she had said or done. Luckily...or not it appeared Edep had no idea what she was talking about. Taking this in stride as best she could, Zesiro would attempt to throw the conversation back to the topic that had caused her to request their aid.

With a simple shake of her head, she choose not to directly answer his unspoken question and focused on the spoken one.

"No, you have nothing to worry about."

Attempting to give him a smile and probably more closely sneering at him instead, she motioned to the chair he was leaning against and sat down on her own with a sigh. Muttering under her breath about needing a drink and it being better he didn't know what happened, she hoped he didn't head that last part.

"Please, Knight Kre have a seat."

On the chance he decided to press the subject, she would just as likely cave and tell him what she had done. Hoping he didn't, she started shuffling a datapad to the page she needed to discuss with him.

Edep Kre

 

[Edep Kre]

Edep would listen to Zesiro and give a gentle nod. From her sudden realization that he did in fact not know what she was talking about, he could tell that there was something he did indeed need to investigate at some point. But now was the time, nor was it the place, to interrogate the queen of Commenor. But now those mutterings she made, heard by his trained ears, really did settle with him.

He would take the seat as she requested and sat back, letting her stew a few moments before leaning forward, his elbows on his knees as he looked back at her. "I may not be the most well attuned to Bothan culture, history, and politics, Madam," he would start, deciding to be a bit curt and not address her as she requested he had. "But you did seem flabbergasted enough by my mere entry into this room to warrant me questioning the idea that this is something I should at least be curious about."

All the while the Jedi was trying to remember his studies on his homeworld... But nothing about some human, let alone a woman of her status rang the bell for him. He was a tad annoyed at this point, both with her for withholding information on 'what happened soo many years ago on Bothawui,' and himself for not being able to put her face, name, or anything to something drastic that happened on Bothawui.

"What happened on Bothawui?" He would ask bluntly. "If you can't answer or are unwilling to I don't think I'm going to be able to help you with this dignitaries. I would gladly send for a non-Bothan Jedi to help you. Granted the second I get back I would ask for an investigation to be made."

"The information will be discovered if you want it to happen or not. So I would greatly suggest telling the truth because your honesty here could affect you and your husband down the road, be it with the Jedi, or anyone."

Zesiro

 

[Zesiro]

Blue eyes grew troubled as she listened to what Edep was saying. Reaching into a drawer of her desk, she slowly pulled out a flask. Quickly taking a sip, she hid it away again before leaning back in her chair. Thankfully he had also taken the seat as she requested him to a few moments ago. At the moment, they were looking at each other at eye level.

"I am not a good person to guess ages but this happened when I was younger than you. More than a lifetime ago honestly and I am a changed person. My husband had nothing to do with it. So keep him out of your investigation, please."

She wasn't going to plead with him for this, but if he could read her emotions or if she was lying or telling the truth, he would be able to tell she was not misleading him. Nor would she. Zesiro really was a changed and different person than she had been back then. Sometimes the past came back to haunt a person and now was one of those times.

Letting out a sigh, she reached for the flask and this time kept a hold of it as she started speaking. Her story was given in a flat tone, almost devoid of feeling.

"There was a politician that was dead set against a now-defunct government taking control of Bothawui. My mission was to assassinate this man. I accomplished that and walked away."

Washed her hands of the whole business and never looked back. Now she was staring one of those people in the face and wondered just how much it was going to cost her.

Lifting the flask up again, she held it out for him if he felt like he needed a drink. She did not include an apology, the fact she left that government after assassinating the man, or any other personal feelings about the situation. Past or current.

Edep Kre

 

[Edep Kre]

Green eyes met the blue when Zesiro looked back at him after sipping from her flask. The Bothan would nod gently to her request to keep her husband from his 'investigation,' to be honest it was mere curiosity, nothing more. He had no authority to do anything with the information he would be learning today other than deny her request of help, even then he doubted he would go that far.

He would listen to her, leaning back in his chair as she spoke, trying to put together what she had been a part of, he was a historian after all. He would tilt his head gently and hum, waving the offer for the flask away... he wasn't much of a drinker, especially when working.

"You were part of the Imperial invasion. Yeah... I remember it. I was young, very young. But I remember my mentor at the time actually pulling me aside and asking me something... what was it..." He would rub at his beard... "He asked if I felt anything calling through the force in regard to the invasion. When I told him no he had a very relieved look on his face."

He realized that the anecdote didn't have a very good barring on the current conversation. "Anyway. I hold no judgment against you. That was a lifetime ago, for both of us. And you were wrapped up in something that you seemed you have freed yourself of. I have a feeling that the process of becoming the changed woman you are served as penance enough for me at least."

He would chuckle a bit. "But I would advise you refrain from taking a holiday to Bothawuai for the foreseeable future."

 

[Zesiro]

After the few calming sips, Zesiro was able to tell the Jedi her story. Nodding as Edep recounted what he knew of the event in her past, she learned he had not actually been personally affected by it. She silently thanked whatever gods were watching over her and relaxed as he spoke.

It became clear he accepted what she said and even if he did get into some sort of investigation, he would learn she had told him the truth. At least, from her perspective and experience of being there. Bothawuai was not the first battle she had seen and she didn't think it would be the last either. Not that she went out of her way to involve herself in them anymore.

"You have been a part of the Jedi since you were a child then?"

This wasn't something she needed to know but it would help a little. If he had, then most likely he would have a wonderful idea on how to help her and the visitors heading their way.

"I have no plans to take a vacation there, Knight Kre."

On the chance, he did not have the information about the people coming, she would set on the desk a datapad that contained everything she had on them.

Edep Kre

 

[Edep Kre]

To her question, the Jedi only nodded. "I was an infant when I was taken in, yes" He'd state simply. He did not have the need or the want to talk on the subject further so when she set the datapad on the desk he would reach for it and take a look.

"Ah, I see why you wanted a Jedi's touch," He would say with a chuckle, "And why it was chosen for me to take up the assignment," He'd add with a smirk. "Ancient Jedi ruins... I'm surprised the miners didn't just drill right through them, I'm happy they chose to at least stop and ask." He'd hum before rubbing at his chin as he continued to look over what was in front of him.

When he got a decent understanding he would look back at Zesiro. "If they are willing to ask us for permission to mine, maybe they are willing to wait long enough for an archeological dig to take place... I would be very interested in seeing what lies in there. Once we got everything worthwhile out, they can keep mining for their gems."

Zesiro

 

[Zesiro]

His answer was enough to satisfy Zesiro and it was soon clear hers was enough as well. Moving onto the business of why he was called, he looked over the information she had on hand about the situation. She had already looked it over but it was nice to get a second view on things.

"Is that something you can try to negotiate, Knight Kre?"

Having been on worlds filled with treasures and grand histories, she knew just how important saving these things was. Thankfully, the miners did too and had requested a meeting. That was when she reached out to the Jedi for help. Getting an unexpected race was just part of the deal and they had moved beyond what had happened in her past. Now they could work on the future.

"What supplies will be needed? I can arrange for pretty much anything you might need or want."

Taking the datapad back if Edep allowed her to, she would start to take notes on whatever he said about the supplies. She had almost no limit on funds but he did not need to know that.

Edep Kre